Josiah Wolf is touring the East Coast solo this summer, but that doesn't mean he's gone all Beyonce or MJ on us.
The tour isn't solo, at least not technically. As Josiah explains, even though the upcoming tour is booked under his name only, he'll be accompanied and playing songs by his girlfriend, Liz Hodson. He admits that he and Liz need to come up with their own band name soon.
"We met in California in the Bay Area." he said. "I wanted to be close with someone who was playing music."
The tour may be not be, but in many ways Josiah is a solo artist. Even when he's collaborating with others, he begins his songwriting process by sketching out ideas alone.
WHY?, the hip hop and indie pop hybrid band he fronts with his brother Yoni, isn't out of the picture either. When I call him up for an interview, Josiah is actually standing outside the studio where he and the WHY? crew are recording their next album. It's the bassist's turn to record, so he has a few moments to talk about the tour.
"I like to have goals, I like to have something to work for," he said. "You give yourself a tour and then you have to get yourself ready."
Trying to pin down Josiah's location is like mapping the Bermuda Triangle-he's mysterious and always on the move. He and Yoni were born in Philadelphia, raised in Ohio, and until recently, were haphazard denizens of California. Last year, he made a fantastic series of YouTube videos on WHY?'s European tour entitled Travelin' with Josiah Wolf. I tell him he should make one about Philadelphia and he says it only makes sense that he should concentrate on America next.
Even over the phone, Josiah's voice sounds a lot like his brother's. I notice this because WHY?'s music channels all the energy of a poetry slam turned renegade rap battle and Yoni's voice is at the center of it.
The tour isn't his first foray into extra-WHY? project either, not by a long shot. Josiah's 2010 album, Jet Lag, scored a 5.6 on Pitchfork (and if that deters you from listening, you need a shower and a real job, you f-ing hipster.) Jet Lag channels a folksy, percussive sound and it has glimmers of WHY?, it's definitely all Josiah.
"I just like acting-it comes really natural to me. I'm a silly guy sometimes. It's a great thing to do on tour, which can be tedious sometimes."
Josiah and Yoni are indie darlings and for certain WHY? fans, picking a favorite brother is a huge personal statement. When asked who he believes the better brother to be, Josiah remains neutral.
"We each have our accolades, we each bring something to the table. I have great respect for Yoni." He said. "I think he's more aggressive and more willing to take risks, though sometimes he's not as grounded as I am."
I tell him that I don't have a favorite. I am on Team Wolf.
